Latest News and Updates
LGBTQ Pride 2013
posted on May 17, 2013April 2013 LGBTQ Pride 2013 Dear Sisters and Brothers: Visible signs of union pride are extremely important for smaller towns and communities across Ontario. Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) identified workers and their families are very often invisible or, if out, at serious risk of harassment in their workplaces and their communities. Over [...]
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Hate Must Be Challenged Every Day and in Every Way: OFL Statement on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – May 17, 2013
posted on May 17, 2013OFL STATEMENT May 15, 2013 Hate Must Be Challenged Every Day and in Every Way OFL Statement on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, May 17, 2013 For the second year in a row, Ontario’s LGBTQ community and its allies are celebrating historic victories for the rights and protections of transgender people as part [...]
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Damning Report Says Ontario is Failing Migrant Workers: OFL Calls on Wynne Government to Protect Rights of Vulnerable Workers
posted on May 16, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 16, 2013 Damning Report Says Ontario is Failing Migrant Workers OFL Calls on Wynne Government to Protect Rights of Vulnerable Workers (TORONTO, ON) ─ OFL calls on Ontario Government to respond immediately to a new report that gives the province shameful grades for failing to protect the rights of migrant workers. [...]
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Workers’ Rights Should Know No Borders: OFL Statement for South Asian Heritage Month – May 2013
posted on May 3, 2013OFL STATEMENT May 1, 2013 Workers’ Rights Should Know No Borders OFL Statement for South Asian Heritage Month – May 2013 Across Ontario, workers are joining the South Asian community in recognizing May as South Asian Heritage Month. However, this year’s celebrations are dampened by news of the April 24 collapse of a Bangladesh garment [...]
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Modest Improvements Offer Little Relief in Austerity Budget: OFL Calls on Parties to Make Fairness the Focus of Budget Negotiations
posted on May 2, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 2, 2013 MEDIA RELEASE Modest Improvements Offer Little Relief in Austerity Budget OFL Calls on Parties to Make Fairness the Focus of Budget Negotiations (TORONTO, ON) ─ Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) President Sid Ryan welcomed modest measures in today’s Budget that responded to concerns identified in the People’s Budget but [...]
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Without Justice, No Fallen Worker Can Rest in Peace: OFL Statement on Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job – April 28
posted on April 24, 2013OFL Statement April 24, 2013 Without Justice, No Fallen Worker Can Rest in Peace OFL Statement on Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job – April 28 Thousands of workers, friends and families of those killed and injured on the job will gather at ceremonies across Ontario this weekend to memorialize [...]
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Clementine Ng: Remembering a Beloved Hotel Worker Activist
posted on April 17, 2013Clementine Ng: Remembering a Beloved Hotel Worker Activist It is with very heavy hearts and deep sadness that we say goodbye to the beloved hotel worker activist Clementine Ng. She was fighting for justice right up until her very last days of life. We will always love her and carry her in our hearts. “Clementine [...]
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Release: OFL releases People’s Budget plan for Ontario: affordable measures to alleviate poverty, new infrastructure investment, and tax fairness
posted on April 15, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2013 OFL releases People’s Budget plan for Ontario: affordable measures to alleviate poverty, new infrastructure investment, and tax fairness More than 135 groups participated in nine-community public consultation (Toronto, Ontario) –The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) released a white paper today, A People’s Budget – Towards a Fair Ontario, which [...]
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Bullying Only Thrives in the Shadows: OFL Statement on the Day of Pink, Anti-Bullying Day – April 10, 2013
posted on April 9, 2013OFL STATEMENT April 10, 2013 Bullying Only Thrives in the Shadows: OFL Statement on the Day of Pink, Anti-Bullying Day – April 10, 2013 Last year, the Ontario government passed historic anti-bullying legislation, but the issue of bullying, and its traumatic consequences, remains a daily concern in the lives of too many people. The impact [...]
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Letter to National Post: OFL pension security should be the standard, not the exception (Sid Ryan)
posted on April 4, 2013OFL pension security should be the standard, not the exception By Sid Ryan Letter to the Editor – National Post Originally appeared in print and online on April 4, 2013 Re: Labour federation struggles with deficits, pension bills, April 2. Pension adversaries and austerity hawks will get no validation from the Ontario Federation of Labour [...]
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Peter Kormos: Warrior for the Working Class
posted on April 3, 2013Warrior for the Working Class Peter Kormos (1952-2013) Peter will be honoured with a Memorial Service at Pleasantview Funeral Home and Reception Centre in Thorold at 1 p.m. on May 11. Welland MPP Peter Kormos – a one-of-a-kind socialist cowboy and a stalwart in Ontario’s New Democratic Party for 23 years – hung up his [...]
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EQUAL PAY DAY: APRIL 9, 2013
posted on March 28, 2013EQUAL PAY DAY: APRIL 9, 2013 Greetings Sisters and Brothers: In Ontario women are “in the red” because on average they earn 28% less than men, for work of equal value. I know it’s hard to believe in 2013 but it’s a fact, and the gap is even bigger for racialized women, women with disabilities [...]
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Precarious Lives are the Legacy of Systemic Racism: Statement on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – March 21, 2013
posted on March 20, 2013OFL STATEMENT March 20, 2013 Precarious Lives are the Legacy of Systemic Racism: OFL Statement on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – March 21, 2013 The legacy of Canada’s colonial history and current trends towards cuts to jobs and social programs continue to deliver a double blow to people of colour and [...]
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Follow-Up Letter from Sid Ryan to Porter Airlines President Robert Deluce
posted on March 15, 2013March 15, 2013 Robert J. Deluce President and Chief Executive Officer Porter Airlines Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Toronto, ON M5V 1A1 Dear Robert Deluce, Thank you for your recent response to our letter in support of striking COPE 343 members. Your attempt to discredit the strikers and their union, however, will not contribute to [...]
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2013 OFL Labour Post-Secondary Scholarship
posted on March 12, 20132013 OFL’s LABOUR POST‐SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIPS The OFL is pleased to call for applications for its annual OFL’s Labour Post‐Secondary Scholarships. The OFL will award two scholarships worth $2,000 each to a member or the child of a member of a local union affiliated to the OFL. The scholarships are awarded in honour of distinguished trade [...]
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OFL 3rd Aboriginal Gathering ─ June 14 to 16, 2013
posted on March 12, 2013OFL 3rd Aboriginal Gathering ─ The Way the River Flows The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is holding its 3rd Aboriginal Gathering from June 14-16, 2013. The OFL and its affiliates have a long history of activism and lobbying on Aboriginal, Métis and Inuit issues. This is a Gathering that is reaching out to all [...]
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Statement: Women Rise As Unions Rise: OFL Statement on International Women’s Day – March 8, 2013
posted on March 7, 2013OFL STATEMENT March 7, 2013 Women Rise As Unions Rise: OFL Statement on International Women’s Day – March 8, 2013 As millions of women around the world observe International Women’s Day, the Ontario Federation of Labour will proudly celebrate the role that unions have played in elevating the living standards of all women in Canada. [...]
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Toronto Star Op-Ed: Canada-EU trade deal: No time for NDP to show moderation (Sid Ryan)
posted on March 7, 2013Canada-EU trade deal: No time for NDP to show moderation NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair’s “wait-and-see” approach to the Canada-European Union trade deal is dangerous, not moderate. By: Sid Ryan Published on Thursday, March 07, 2013 It is always uncomfortable to give public advice to a friend, but when he is about to head down a perilous [...]
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Advisory: OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Thunder Bay region on March 7
posted on March 6, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2013 MEDIA ADVISORY OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Thunder Bay region on March 7 Campaign aims to change the public policy conversation on austerity (Thunder Bay, Ontario) – On Thursday, March 7, residents of the Thunder Bay region will add their ideas to a province-wide consultation [...]
Read MoreAdvisory: OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Sudbury region on March 6
posted on March 4, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2013 MEDIA ADVISORY OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Sudbury region on March 6 Campaign aims to change the public policy conversation on austerity (Sudbury, Ontario) – On Wednesday, March 6, residents of the Sudbury region will add their ideas to a province-wide consultation on Ontario’s financial [...]
Read MoreLetter from Sid Ryan to Porter Airlines President Robert Deluce
posted on March 2, 2013March 1, 2013 Robert J. Deluce President and Chief Executive Officer Porter Airlines Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Toronto, ON M5V 1A1 Dear Robert Deluce, I am writing to inform you that the Ontario Federation of Labour fully supports the striking COPE 343 members who work as airplane re-fuelers for your company, Porter Airlines. As [...]
Read MoreAdvisory: OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Ottawa region on February 26
posted on February 25, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 25, 2013 MEDIA ADVISORY OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Ottawa region on February 26 Campaign aims to change the public policy conversation on austerity (Sudbury, Ontario) – On Tuesday, February 26, residents of the National Capital Region will add their ideas to a province-wide consultation on Ontario’s [...]
Read MoreRELEASE: New OFL discussion paper rejects the myths of austerity and urges new public policy focus on jobs, growth, and public services
posted on February 25, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 25, 2013 MEDIA RELEASE New OFL discussion paper rejects the myths of austerity and urges new public policy focus on jobs, growth, and public services Ontarians invited to participate in province-wide consultation that begins tonight in Brampton (Toronto, Ontario) –The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) released a discussion paper today calling [...]
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Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed: Time to change the conversation on austerity (Sid Ryan & Alex Himelfarb)
posted on February 25, 2013Time to change the conversation on austerity By Sid Ryan and Alex Himelfarb, Ottawa Citizen Opinion Editorial February 24, 2013 7:04 PM There is an absence of confidence in politics these days. Each new government budget offers a new austerity menu of what we cannot do, what we must cut and who must tighten their [...]
Read MoreADVISORY: OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Peel region on February 25th
posted on February 23, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 25, 2013 MEDIA ADVISORY OFL People’s Budget Campaign to hold community consultation in Peel region on February 25th Brampton Campaign Launch aims to change the public policy conversation on austerity (Brampton, Ontario) – On February 25, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) will release a discussion paper calling for a changing [...]
Read MoreRELEASE: OFL Considers Nominating Fraser Institute for “Union Organizer of the Year” Award for Championing Union Benefits
posted on February 20, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 20, 2013 Media Release OFL Considers Nominating Fraser Institute for “Union Organizer of the Year” Award for Championing Union Benefits (Toronto, Ontario) – Ontario Federation of Labour President Sid Ryan thanked the Fraser Institute – a right-wing think tank – for its release of today’s report highlighting the benefits of joining [...]
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RELEASE: OFL Welcomes Throne Speech Overtures to Labour but is Eager for Action
posted on February 19, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2013 Media Release OFL Welcomes Throne Speech Overtures to Labour but is Eager for Action (Toronto, Ontario) – Ontario Federation of Labour President Sid Ryan today welcomed a positive and constructive message from the first throne speech of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, but workers are eager for action. “Today’s throne [...]
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Huffington Post Blog: Tories Attack Rand Formula to Silence Workers (By Sid Ryan)
posted on February 14, 2013[This Blog post originally appeared on the Huffington Post on February 14, 2013] The way that Conservative Members of Parliament like Pierre Poilievre go on about unions dues, you’d think they are familiar with the struggle of the average working person. However, unlike the millions of workers in Canada who are striving to make ends meet, [...]
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Video: Rally for Rights and Democracy: The Full Story Behind the #J26Rally
posted on February 8, 2013On January 26, 30,000 people demonstrated outside the Ontario Liberal Convention for good jobs and public services. Watch the YouTube video here!
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Watch this short video of the #J26Rally
posted on February 1, 2013On January 26, 30,000 people demonstrated outside the Ontario Liberal Convention for good jobs and public services. Watch the YouTube video here!
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Feb 6-7: Memories and Movements in African Canadian History
posted on February 1, 2013Feb 6-7: Memories and Movements in African Canadian History Memories and Movements in African Canadian History will recognize the 100th anniversary of the death of freedom fighter Harriet Tubman and celebrate the Steelpan movement, which was born out of resistance and through its resilience continues to play an active role in the lives of Canadians. [...]
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Feb. 28: Black History Month Event, “Where is Our Obama?”
posted on February 1, 2013Feb. 28: Black History Month Event, “Where is Our Obama?” Celebrate Black History Month with an intergenerational discussion on race and racism within the Canadian political system in preparation for the next federal election in 2015. The OFL will be co-hosting the event, “Where is our Obama?,” with the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance, the Coalition [...]
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Statement: Celebrating History Through Action: OFL Statement in Support of Black History Month – February, 2013
posted on January 31, 2013OFL STATEMENT February 1, 2013 Celebrating History Through Action: OFL Statement in Support of Black History Month – February, 2013 As millions celebrate February as Black History Month, they will also be marking an important milestone in the movement to abolish slavery: the 100 year anniversary of the passing of abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Born into [...]
Read MoreOFL calls on Ontario’s New Premier to Redefine Provincial Priorities Around an Economic Recovery that Includes Everyone
posted on January 27, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 27, 2013 OFL calls on Ontario’s New Premier to Redefine Provincial Priorities Around an Economic Recovery that Includes Everyone (Toronto, Ontario) – Ontario’s new Premier must meet the challenges left by her predecessor head on, according to the Ontario Federation of Labour. Newly elected Liberal Party Leader Kathleen Wynne must tackle [...]
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MEDIA RELEASE: New Premier Faces Record Opposition: 30,000 Rally to Demand Restoration of Public Services and Democratic Rights
posted on January 26, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2013 New Premier Faces Record Opposition: 30,000 Rally to Demand Restoration of Public Services and Democratic Rights (Toronto, Ontario) – Over 30,000 protesters descended on Maple Leaf Gardens this afternoon as Liberal Party delegates prepared to elect the next Premier of Ontario. Coming from every corner of the province and [...]
Read MoreMedia Advisory: Liberals to Elect New Premier Amid Unprecedented Protest
posted on January 25, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 25, 2013 Media Advisory: Liberals to Elect New Premier Amid Unprecedented Protest (Toronto, Ontario) – Whoever is elected to be the new Premier of Ontario will have to face the largest protest of the party’s eight years in government. “The Liberals have tried to pretend that their only opposition is from [...]
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Ontario Liberals to Face Largest Protest Yet at #J26Rally: Over 100 Buses Booked and More are Rolling in Daily
posted on January 18, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 18, 2013 Ontario Liberals to Face Largest Protest Yet at #J26Rally: Over 100 Buses Booked and More are Rolling in Daily (Toronto, Ontario) – With its Leadership Convention only a week away, the public backlash against the Ontario Liberal Party shows no signs of abating. The protest scheduled for 1:00 pm [...]
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Rising Together Against Violence Against Women: OFL Statement in Support of One Billion Rising – February 14, 2013
posted on January 17, 2013OFL STATEMENT January 17, 2013 Rising Together Against Violence Against Women: OFL Statement in Support of One Billion Rising – February 14, 2013 The Ontario Federation of Labour is joining with people around the world in a global movement to demand an end to violence against women and girls. One million workers in Ontario are [...]
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International Women’s Day 2013 – Order Posters & Pins by Feb. 15
posted on January 17, 2013International Women’s Day (IWD) started in 1911 and is recognized annually around the world on March 8 to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. This year, join the OFL in celebrating IWD by ordering posters and pins to distribute to your members. Order yours today! OFL’S IWD 2013 [...]
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Advisory: OFL President to Join Chief Spence and Allies in Rally for Justice
posted on January 10, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2013 OFL President to Join Chief Spence and Allies in Rally for Justice (Ottawa, Ontario) – As First Nations leaders prepare to meet with Canada’s Prime Minister and Governor General, Ontario Federation of Labour President Sid Ryan will show the support of Ontario’s labour movement for Canada’s Aboriginal community by [...]
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Metron Manager to Face Criminal Trial for Toronto High-Rise Fatalities
posted on January 10, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2013 Metron Manager to Face Criminal Trial for Toronto High-Rise Fatalities (Toronto, Ontario) – The Ontario Federation of Labour welcomed today’s Ontario Court decision that Metron Construction Project Manager Vadim Kazenelson will face a criminal trial for the deaths of four workers and the serious injury of another in 2009. [...]
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OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER HARPER: Talk to Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiskat First Nation
posted on December 17, 2012OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER HARPER: Talk to Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiskat First Nation DECEMBER 17, 2012 Dear Prime Minister Harper: On behalf of one million members of the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) I am calling on you to meet with Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiskat First Nation who is engaged [...]
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OFL Statement for December 18, 2012 International Migrants Day
posted on December 17, 2012OFL STATEMENT December 18, 2012 Canada’s Exploitation of Migrant Workers Lowers the Bar for Every Worker OFL Statement for December 18, 2012 International Migrants Day Only days before the international community celebrates International Migrants Day, Canada’s Conservative government quietly introduced new rules stripping migrant workers of benefits they pay for. On December 10, International Human [...]
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Email Your MPP and Ontario’s Political Party Leaders
posted on December 13, 2012The Ontario government has been shut down while workers’ rights are under threat and public service cuts are hurting every community. The 2012 Ontario Budget cuts will cost many their jobs and many more their livelihoods while banks and corporations are being allowed to reap record profits at the public expense. This fall, McGuinty’s Liberals [...]
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OFL President Sid Ryan to Hunker Down with the Homeless in Sidewalk Sleep-Out to Protest Social Assistance Cuts
posted on December 11, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2012 OFL President Sid Ryan to Hunker Down with the Homeless in Sidewalk Sleep-Out to Protest Social Assistance Cuts (Toronto, Ontario) – OFL Officers Sid Ryan and Irwin Nanda will join poverty activists and people who are homeless in a sidewalk sleep-out at MPP Glen Murray’s Toronto Centre Constituency Office [...]
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OFL Statement for December 10, 2012 International Human Rights Day
posted on December 7, 2012OFL STATEMENT December 10, 2012 Canada’s Human Rights Reputation is Fast Becoming a Myth OFL Statement for December 10, 2012 International Human Rights Day This year, as the global community recognizes December 10 as International Human Rights Day, many Canadians struggle with a vanishing sense of pride in Canada’s once renowned reputation as a leader [...]
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Media Advisory: Community-Labour Coalition joins education worker fight against Bill 115; hosts assembly to challenge cuts to services and rights
posted on December 6, 2012For Immediate Release December 6, 2012 Media Advisory: Community-Labour Coalition joins education worker fight against Bill 115; hosts assembly to challenge cuts to services and rights (TORONTO, ON) ─ Hot on the heels of a nationally recognized report exposing Ontario’s growing income inequality, the Ontario Common Front is expecting hundreds to attend a general assembly [...]
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OFL Statement for December 6, 2012 National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
posted on December 5, 2012OFL STATEMENT December 5, 2012 Rising Together Against Violence Against Women: OFL Statement for December 6, 2012 National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women As Ontarians gather in cities and towns across the province to remember the women victims of gender-based violence, Ontario’s labour movement is beginning to build for a global [...]
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ADVISORY: Cornwall Town Hall Exposes Local Impact of Government Cuts to Services and Democratic Rights
posted on December 3, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 3, 2012 ADVISORY: Cornwall Town Hall Exposes Local Impact of Government Cuts to Services and Democratic Rights (Cornwall, Ontario) – Outraged at the McGuinty governments’ deep cuts to social programs and the recent attack on the democratic rights of education workers, Cornwall community members will be gathering on the evening of [...]
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OFL Statement for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 2012
posted on December 3, 2012OFL STATEMENT December 3, 2012 Ontarians with Disabilities Hit the Hardest by Government Cuts: OFL Statement for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 2012 December 3 marks the United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities. According to the UN, persons with disabilities make up 15 percent of the world’s population and a quarter of [...]
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Donate to the OFL Jack Layton Memorial Statue: Memorial Progam Available for Download
posted on November 28, 2012Help us remember Jack’s contribution to Canada and donate now to a statue in his honour.
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ADVISORY: Windsor Town Hall Exposes Local Impact of Government Cuts to Services and Democratic Rights
posted on November 26, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 26, 2012 (Windsor, Ontario) – Outraged at the McGuinty governments’ deep cuts to social programs and the recent attack on the democratic rights of education workers, community members from across Windsor will be gathering this evening for a public town hall meeting. The forum will provide an opportunity for local residents [...]
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In Memoriam: Cliff Pilkey (July 27, 1922 – November 17, 2012)
posted on November 21, 2012A Man of the People Cliff Pilkey (July 27, 1922 – November 17, 2012) Download the OFL’s Cliff Pilkey Memorial Download archival photos of Cliff The funeral service will be held in the Chapel of the Oshawa Funeral Home on Friday, November 23 at 11:00 amwith the interment at Thornton Cemetery. A reception to follow [...]
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Honouring Lost Lives, Seeking Justice for the Living: OFL Statement on the Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20, 2012
posted on November 19, 2012OFL STATEMENT November 20,2012 Honouring Lost Lives, Seeking Justice for the Living: OFL Statement on the Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20, 2012 Since 1999, November 20 has been recognized as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. It is a day to reflect on the lives of transgendered people who have been killed due to [...]
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ADVISORY: Thunder Bay Town Hall Exposes Local Impact of Government Cuts to Services and Democratic Rights
posted on November 19, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 20, 2012 (Thunder Bay, Ontario) – Outraged at the McGuinty governments’ deep cuts to social programs and the recent attack on the democratic rights of education workers, community members from across Thunder Bay will be gathering this evening for a public town hall meeting. The forum will provide an opportunity for [...]
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DOWNLOAD THE CONFERENCE AGENDA: OFL Equity Conference (Nov. 9-11, 2012)
posted on November 7, 2012The Ontario Federation of Labour will be hosting an Equity Conference from November 9 to 11 under the theme: “We Are Ontario: Putting Equity Before Austerity.” The event will be opened up to members who belong to the OFL’s many equity-seeking constituencies. Community groups will also be invited to add their voices and experiences to [...]
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OFL Launches Democratic and Economic Rights Campaign
posted on November 7, 2012Demand good jobs, public services, workers’ rights & the recall of the legislature! The Ontario government has been shut down while worker’s rights are under threat and cuts to jobs and services are hurting every community. It’s time to defend everyone’s democratic and economic rights. Download the campaign flyer here Jan. 26, 2013: Rally for [...]
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Register Now! OFL Women’s Leadership Summit, December 10-12, 2012
posted on October 26, 2012OFL Women’s Leadership Summit Kempenfelt Conference Centre December 10-12, 2012 Dear Sisters and Brothers: I am writing to invite you to identify and sponsor Sisters from your Union to attend our upcoming OFL Women’s Leadership Summit. This is a unique opportunity for women in your union to come together with like-minded trade union and community [...]
Read MoreOPEN LETTER TO PREMIER: Labour Ends Talks with Government; Refuses to be Political Pawn
posted on October 24, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 24, 2012 Dear Premier McGuinty, Two weeks ago, Ontario’s labour leaders approached your government, in a gesture of good will, with the end goal of supporting local settlements while circumventing draconian legislation like Bill 115. Unfortunately, your government undermined these discussions before they could get started. First, your crass political decision [...]
Read MoreLabour Calls Prorogation an Affront to Democratic Rights
posted on October 19, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2012 (Toronto, ON) — Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) President Sid Ryan today debunked media speculation that the labour movement was privy to Premier Dalton McGuinty’s decision to prorogue the Ontario Legislature. “Let me set the record straight once and for all: the labour movement played no part in the [...]
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Labour Movement Releases Mental Injury Tool Kit on World Mental Health Day
posted on October 9, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2012 (Toronto, ON) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) has banded together with several provincial labour unions and the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) to launch a Mental Injury Tool Kit on October 10, 2012, in recognition of World Mental Health Day. This tool kit is part [...]
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In Memoriam: Charles Roach (Activist+Artist+Musician+Lawyer+Revolutionary)
posted on October 4, 2012Charles Roach September 18, 1933 − October 2, 2012 Equality and civil rights advocates across Canada lost an incredible community activist and friend with the passing of renowned lawyer Charles Roach. Charlie never shied away from a cause. For more than 50 years, he led the fight against systemic racism and defended the most vulnerable in [...]
Read MoreEmergency Meeting of Union Leaders to Announce Plans to Mobilize Opposition Against McGuinty’s Attack on Charter Rights
posted on September 25, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2012 (Toronto, ON) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) will host an emergency meeting of labour union leaders representing over one million workers on Wednesday, September 26 to draft province-wide plans to challenge Premier Dalton McGuinty’s recent attack on the Charter rights of workers. After tabling the constitutionally disputed [...]
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Bad Gas Rip-Off Hotline: Report Wage Theft from Gas Companies 1-800-668-9138
posted on September 18, 2012On Saturday, September 15, Toronto gas station attendant Jayesh Prajapati was run over and killed during pursuit of an SUV driver who stole $112 worth of gas. In response, the OFL sent a letter to the Toronto Police Service calling for a criminal investigation into the policies of Shell Canada and the possible role they played [...]
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OFL Launches Hotline to Report Gas Company Theft of Worker Wages in Wake of Gas-and-Dash Tragedy
posted on September 18, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 18, 2012 (Toronto, ON) — Despite denial from the petroleum industry, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) believes that the illegal practice of docking worker wages for gas theft may have played a role in Saturday night’s gas-and-dash killing of a Toronto gas station attendant. Today the OFL set out to [...]
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OFL Calls for Criminal Investigation into Role of Shell Canada Policies in Gas-and-Dash Killing
posted on September 17, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 17, 2012 (Toronto, ON) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) today wrote to the Toronto Police Service to call for a criminal investigation into the policies of Shell Canada and the possible role they played in Saturday night’s death of a Toronto gas station attendant. Amid public outcry over the [...]
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ADVISORY: Ontario Federation of Labour to Join the Occupy Rally on Parliament Hill, Sept. 17
posted on September 14, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 14, 2012 (Toronto) — On Monday, September 17, Ontario’s labour movement will be joining Canada’s Occupy movement on Parliament Hill to demand a stop to Prime Minister Harper’s cuts to jobs and services. Planned for the date that Parliament resumes after the summer recess and the one year anniversary of Occupy [...]
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All Rise! – The People’s Court Will Judge Austerity (Sat. Sept. 15)
posted on September 13, 2012PSAC members know that an attack on public services workers is an attack on all Canadians. Under this federal government, public services are being slashed and the workers who provide them are being declared “affected” and told they may lose their jobs. This is not a government that believes in strengthening the services that Canadians [...]
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The Labour Movement Mourns the Loss of Arlene Mantle
posted on September 13, 2012The Labour Movement mourns the loss of Arlene Mantle, a sister whose voice was on every picket line, rally or demo. She worked with many unions to create a space and voice for women through song. Below is a message from her family. ____ Arlene Mantle 1939–2012 She lit her candle in the wind. It [...]
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WSIB Death and Injury Stats (Jan-July, 2012)
posted on September 13, 2012Twenty-seven workers reportedly died in workplace related accidents or from occupational disease in only one month, according to new Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) statistics. That brings the total WSIB fatality claims to 236, while over 140,000 injury claims had been made. When compared to the 435 workplace fatalities and over 240,000 injury claims made in [...]
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MEDIA RELEASE: McGuinty’s Anti-Union Posturing is Simply a Crass Game of Politics that Will Cost Him a Majority
posted on September 6, 2012For Immediate Release September 6, 2012 (Toronto, ON) — Stealing a page out of Tim Hudak’s failed “Change Book,” Premier Dalton McGuinty made a cynical electoral play when he decided to try to vilify school teachers and educational workers. In a deposition delivered last night on the McGuinty government’s controversial anti-worker bill, OFL President Sid [...]
Read MoreMedia Advisory: McGuinty’s Anti-Worker Gamble will Cost Him a Majority Government
posted on September 5, 2012For Immediate Release September 5, 2012 (Toronto, ON) — Stealing a page out of Tim Hudak’s failed “Change Book,” Premier Dalton McGuinty made a cynical electoral play when he decided to try to vilify school teachers and educational workers. In tonight’s deposition on the McGuinty government’s controversial anti-worker bill, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) will [...]
Read MoreLabour-Community Alliance is the Only Way to Challenge Inequality: OFL Statement on Labour Day, 2012
posted on September 3, 2012OFL STATEMENT Labour-Community Alliance is the Only Way to Challenge Inequality OFL Statement on Labour Day, 2012 Just days before the Canadian workers celebrated their proud labour history, Ontario’s labour movement and more than 90 community groups and non-profit organizations released an unprecedented report that reverberated through the media from one end of the country [...]
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Sid Ryan: Depressed wages are a drag on Canada’s economy (Labour Day Op-Ed in the Toronto Star)
posted on September 1, 2012Originally appeared online on Sept. 1 and in the print edition of the Toronto Star on Sept. 3, 2012. Click here to see the original op-ed piece in the Toronto Star. Just in time to celebrate Labour Day, the American retail giant Target rolled into Canada, swallowed up 150 Zellers stores from the Hudson’s Bay [...]
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Ontario Common Front report puts inequality in the news
posted on August 30, 2012Yesterday the Ontario Common Front hit the provincial scene in a big way with the launch of a report on Ontario’s growing inequality that dominated the media and put a spotlight on the harsh impact of cuts to jobs and services. Download a full copy of “Falling Behind” Download quick reference fact sheets The report [...]
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Letter to South African President Jacob Zuma: Justice for Striking Workers
posted on August 24, 2012August 24, 2012 President Jacob Zuma President of South Africa Union Buildings Private Bag X1000, Pretoria 0001 South Africa Sent by letter mail and emailed to president@po.gov.za. A .PDF version of this letter can be downloaded from this link. Dear President Zuma: Subject: Call for a Full and Independent Investigation into Police Shootings of [...]
Read MoreRally for Public Education: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 @ Noon
posted on August 24, 2012An emergency rally has just been called to demand respect for teachers and support for public education. It is crucial that union members and community allies come out in big numbers to protest the government’s proposed anti-collective bargaining legislation. A joint rally has been called by ETFO, OSSTF, and CUPE at Queen’s Park in Toronto [...]
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Labour Leaders Join Celebration of Jack Layton’s Vision
posted on August 23, 2012On the anniversary of the passing of the Jack Layton, labour leaders from across the country joined thousands of people at Toronto’s City Hall to pay tribute to the beloved NDP Leader. Jack’s last act was his open letter to Canadians, released hours after his death. What came next was a collective outpouring of grief and sorrow, [...]
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August 25: Stand in Solidarity with Mineworkers in South Africa
posted on August 23, 2012Condemn the Massacre of South African Miners Demonstration outside the Consulate of South Africa in Toronto When: 1:00 pm, Saturday, August 25, 2012 Where: South Africa Consulate-General, Toronto 110 Sheppard Ave East, Suite 600, (Sheppard-Yonge Subway Station) A rally is being organized by labour, community and international solidarity activists on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at [...]
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Target Fairness: Mass demonstration in Mississauga at 11 am on Aug 22
posted on August 21, 2012Dear Sisters and Brothers, Over 10,000 Zellers workers need your support in demanding fairness from the American retail giant, Target. Since Target bought up Canadian Zellers stores, every employee (some with over 30 years of loyal service) learned they were being terminated and forced to reapply for their jobs. Bring friends, members and community allies [...]
Read MoreOFL Applauds Crown’s Appeal of “Manifestly Unfit” Sentence in Metron Scaffolding Tragedy
posted on August 21, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2012 (Toronto) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) President Sid Ryan today applauded Ontario’s Attorney General for appealing the $200,000 fine leveled against Metron Construction for criminal negligence claiming the lives of four workers and seriously injuring another on Christmas Eve 2009. Calling the sentence “manifestly unfit,” the Crown’s [...]
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Labour of Love “Real Hip-Hop Tour” Travels Ontario
posted on August 20, 2012Join three of Ontario’s most well-known political hip-hop acts in celebrating workers’ struggles. This five-city tour will travel Ontario from Sudbury to Southern Ontario in the week leading into Labour Day. Featured Artists: TEST THEIR LOGIK (Toronto/London) is made up of two revolutionary MC’s: Testament and Illogik. Their music is a lyrical explosion in the [...]
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NDP Candidate Catherine Fife Launches Campaign in K-W Byelection
posted on August 18, 2012On Thursday, August 16, NDP Candidate Catherine Fife launched her campaign in the Kitchener-Waterloo byelection with outstanding support. Nearly every Ontario NDP MP and MPP attended her campaign kick-off to a cheering crowd of more than 200. OFL Vice-President Irwin Nanda joined the campaign launch to bring labour support. After the launch, hundreds of volunteers [...]
Read MoreWSIB Death and Injury Stats for the first 6 months of 2012
posted on August 14, 2012The latest death and injury stats from the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) report over 200 fatality claims and over 120,000 injuries. The tally for 2011 reached 436 workplace fatalities and 240,342 injury claims. It appears that the alarming trend in workplace tragedies remains unabated. 2012 WSIB Stats (to the end of June 2012) 209 [...]
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Mark Your Calendars! OFL Equity Conference (Nov. 9-11, 2012)
posted on August 12, 2012The Ontario Federation of Labour will be hosting an Equity Conference from November 9 to 11 under the theme: “We Are Ontario: Putting Equity Before Austerity.” The event will be opened up to members who belong to the OFL’s many equity-seeking constituencies. Community groups will also be invited to add their voices and experiences to [...]
Read MoreOFL Receives Appointment to Ontario’s First Prevention Council
posted on August 10, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 10, 2012 (Toronto) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) welcomed yesterday’s Ontario government announcement of the province’s first Prevention Council on Occupational Health and Safety. Included in the announcement was the appointment of OFL Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Hutchison and four other worker representatives to advise the government on measures to protect [...]
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Join the Ontario Common Front on Facebook! Help fight cuts across Ontario
posted on August 9, 2012The Ontario Common Front is a coalition of labour and community groups that have come together to challenge cuts to jobs and services in every community in Ontario. Join the Ontario Common Front on Facebook and share the page with your friends, coworkers and community allies. www.facebook.com/OntarioCommonFront Check out the website of the Ontario Common [...]
Read MoreInfo picket at Rogers Cup Tennis Final: Call for fair first contract, Aug. 12 @ 4:00 pm
posted on August 8, 2012Dear Sisters and Brothers, Help 300 Rogers workers secure a fair first collective agreement by bringing friends, co-workers and community allies to join an info picket during the Rogers Cup Tennis Final at York University on Sunday, August 12 at 4:00 pm. Please circulate the message from the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada [...]
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Labour Federation Presidents: Premiers should fight back against Ottawa’s low-wage schemes (Op-Ed in the Halifax Chronicle Herald)
posted on July 26, 2012[Read the original op-ed in the Halifax Chronicle Herald] July 26, 2012 It has become clear that the federal government, supported by a number of employer organizations, has a plan for transforming Canada’s labour market in ways that will profoundly hurt Canadians. It’s a four-prong strategy which includes the dramatic expansion of the Temporary Foreign [...]
Read MoreSid Ryan: ‘Flexible’ labour means ‘cheap’ labour (Guest Column in Toronto Sun)
posted on July 23, 2012Guest Column in the Toronto Sun, July 23, 2012 http://m.torontosun.com/2012/07/20/flexible-labour-means-cheap-labour Prepare yourselves for lower-wages, fewer benefits and frequent job changes because middle class wages and job security are relics of the past, according to Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak. After all, it is a dog-eat-dog job market out there and only the lean and mean will [...]
Read MoreSid Ryan: Stripping labour rights (Op-Ed in the Windsor Star)
posted on July 19, 2012Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak would have you believe that trade unions have outlived their usefulness and workers are better off without their right to work together. In support of his White Paper, Paths to Prosperity – Flexible Labour Markets, Hudak concedes that “over time, unions have contributed to developing Ontario’s middle class and to [...]
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Huffington Post: When Hudak Says “Flexible” Labour, He Really Means “Cheap” (Guest Blog Part 1 of 3 by Sid Ryan)
posted on July 18, 2012Guest Blog in the Huffington Post When Hudak Says “Flexible” Labour, He Really Means “Cheap” Sid Ryan, President, Ontario Federation Labour http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/../../sid-ryan/tim-hudak-unions_b_1680555.html This is part one of a three-part reply to Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak’s series of HuffPost blogs about his party’s “Path to Prosperity” white paper. Since when was the middle class the enemy of Ontario’s [...]
Read MoreSid Ryan: Hudak pushes poverty over prosperity – Ontario PC leader signs onto Stephen Harper’s anti-labour agenda (Op-Ed in Hamilton Spectator)
posted on July 14, 2012It’s official. Reduced public services and cheap labour are the cornerstones of Ontario Conservatives’ latest economic scheme, as outlined in their recent white paper on “flexible labour markets.” For Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak, “prosperity” means turning Ontario into a low-wage, regulation-free haven where corporations rake in profit at the expense of Ontario workers, communities [...]
Read MoreOFL’s Sid Ryan live interviewed on CP24 about Metron Construction Fines
posted on July 14, 2012Watch this CP24 video clip of a live interview with Sid Ryan after Metron Construction was slapped with a $200,000 fine for the deaths of 4 workers and the critical injury of a third. Sid Interviewed Live by CP24′s George Lagogianes: The OFL has called on the crown to appeal the sentence because justice can’t be [...]
Read MoreOFL Calls on Crown to Appeal Metron Sentence: A Worker’s Life is Worth More than $50K
posted on July 13, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 13, 2012 (Toronto) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) President Sid Ryan is calling on the Crown to appeal the $200,000 fine leveled against Metron Construction today for the deaths of four workers and the critical injury of another. Ryan had harsh criticisms for a judicial system that continues to [...]
Read MoreOFL Expects Historic Sentencing of Negligent Company: Restitution Sought for Victim and Survivors
posted on July 12, 2012(Toronto) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is bracing itself for a historic verdict this Friday, when the sentence will be announced against Metron Construction. The company’s criminal negligence led to the deaths of four workers and the critical injury of another when scaffolding collapsed at a Toronto high-rise on December 24, 2009. While [...]
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Sid Ryan: Conservative Tim Hudak pushes plan for poverty, not prosperity (Op-Ed in Toronto Star)
posted on July 10, 2012It’s official. Reduced public services and cheap labour are the cornerstones of Ontario Conservatives’ latest economic scheme, as outlined in their recent white paper on “flexible labour markets.” For Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, “prosperity” means turning Ontario into a low-wage, regulation-free haven where corporations rake in profit at the expense of Ontario workers, communities [...]
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Out and Proud: Labour Contingent Photos from Toronto Pride
posted on July 2, 2012On July 1, the OFL and many affiliates celebrated Toronto Pride by marching together in a proud labour contingent. The theme of this year’s contingent was “We Are Ontario: Out and Proud” and it served as an opportunity to challenge government cuts to jobs and social programs that will affect the LGBTQ community. Click here [...]
Read MoreHudak Plan Seeks to Strip Workers of Wages, Benefits and Pensions
posted on June 27, 2012(TORONTO) — Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak’s White Paper on “Flexible Labour Markets” seeks to strip Ontario workers of wages, benefits and pensions, according to the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL). “Hudak’s proposed reforms to Ontario labour laws are nothing but sour grapes. He blames labour unions and not his own bad policy for his [...]
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Show Solidarity for Striking Peel Workers
posted on June 26, 2012CUPE 966 Solidarity BBQ (Tuesday, June 26 @ Noon) Join striking members of CUPE Local 966 for a solidarity barbeque and help call for a fair settlement. This mostly female workforce deserves a fair contract that grants them equal treatment with other workers in the region. Your support can help restore the vital services they [...]
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